Roll of Honor
Incident
Detective Sergeant Herman Wilkewitz succumbed to injuries sustained in a vehicle crash on March 30th, 1931, while driving an informant to Dearborn, Michigan.
The woman had information about a recent larceny and had offered to show Sergeant Wilkewitz the home in Dearborn where the stolen property had been taken. Sergeant Wilkewitz was driving on Schaefer Road, in front of the Ford Motor Company plant, when he collided with a streetcar that failed to stop at its signal.
Sergeant Wilkewitz, the informant, and the informant's daughter were injured in the crash. Sergeant Wilkewitz suffered a cerebral hemorrhage as a result of his injuries and died on April 18th, 1931.
Sergeant Wilkewitz had served with the River Rouge Police Department for eight years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and five children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-MI-BEFB7269- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Detective Sergeant Wilkewitz gave the River Rouge Police Department 8 years.
Thank you for your service to the River Rouge community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Detective Sergeant Wilkewitz.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Detective Sergeant Herman Wilkewitz is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,756 officers honored here.
In MI, 229 of 718 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 31.9% of this state's fallen. That is 31.9 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At River Rouge Police Department, 2 of 2 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Herman Wilkewitz's cause is highlighted.
How Herman Wilkewitz Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Herman Wilkewitz is highlighted in Apr.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
1 officer from River Rouge Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
